Method for producing allyl compound, and ether or ester compound produced thereby

ABSTRACT

A method for producing an allyl compound having a compositional formula different from that of an allyl starting material compound, which comprises reacting the allyl starting material compound with an oxygen nucleophilic agent in the presence of a catalyst containing at least one transition metal compound containing a transition metal selected from the group consisting of transition metals belonging to Group 8 to Group 10 of the Periodic Table and a multidentate phosphite compound.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for producing a new allylcompound different from an allyl starting material compound by reactingthe allyl starting material compound with an oxygen nucleophilic agentin the presence of a catalyst, and an ether or ester compound producedthereby.

2. Prior Arts

Various kinds of new allyl compounds can be synthesized by carrying outa catalytic reaction using a transition metal compound and using anallyl compound as a starting material. This reaction proceeds asillustrated in the following reaction formula, wherein an allyl startingmaterial compound having an eliminating group X is π-coordinated andoxidatively added to a transition metal compound to form a π-allylcomplex having three carbons of the allyl part bonded to a metal and theterminal allyl carbon of the π-allyl complex is attacked by anucleophilic agent expressed by Nu—H or Nu⁻.

The synthesizing reaction of an allyl compound is generally fullydescribed in “Palladium Reagents and Catalysts -Innovations in OrganicSynthesis-” published by John Wiley & Sons Company, and various productsin a form of allylated nucleophilic agent can be obtained by electing akind of a nucleophilic agent in the reaction. Among them, when thenucleophilic agent is an oxygen nucleophilic agent such as alcohols,phenols, or carboxylic acids, respective allyl alkyl ether, allyl phenylether or allyl carboxylate esters are synthesized, and they areconsidered to be one of basic reactions useful in synthetic chemistry.

However, as a reaction example of an allyl starting material compoundand an oxygen nucleophilic agent, the case in which the oxygennucleophilic agent is carboxylic acid anion, is generally well known,but there are not so many reaction examples with other oxygennucleophilic agents due to their low reactivity.

For example, as described in “Organometallics, 1995, 14, p. 4585”illustrating a reaction example with phenols, a synthesis example ofallyl phenyl ethers by a palladium catalyst system having a triaryl typemonodentate phosphite ligand such as triphenyl phosphite is well known,but its activity is not sufficient.

Also, reaction examples with alcohols are very limited due to lownucleophilic attacking property of alcohol oxygen. As a reaction examplebetween molecules of alcohol oxygen and an allyl starting materialcompound, dehydration condensation reaction of an allyl alcohol by acatalyst system using a monodentate phosphite ligand of triphenylphosphite or triethyl phosphite was reported in “Nihon Kagakukai KouenYokoushuu, 2001, Vol. 79th, No. 2, p. 1194” and “Nihon GakujutsuShinkoukai Souzou Kinou Kagaku Dai 116 Iinkai 2002, 6, Godou BunkakaiShiryou p. 46”. Also, a reaction of alcohols with an allyl alcohol by acatalyst system comprising triphenylphosphite considered to have ahighest activity was also reported. However, its catalyst activity isstill not high.

As an example of attacking a π-allyl complex by other alcohol oxygen,there are known some cyclizing reactions wherein the cyclization iscarried out intramolecularly by attacking π-allyl terminal carbon withalcohol oxygen present at such a position as to form a 5-membered ringor a 6-membered ring in the reaction process. For example, as describedin “Tetrahedron Lett., 1995, 36, p. 5527”, there is known a synthesisexample of a morpholine derivative by a palladium catalyst system havingtriisopropyl phosphite as a monodentate phosphite ligand. Also, asynthesis example of a 5-membered cyclic product by a palladium catalystsystem having a bidentate phosphite ligand having cyclic both terminalscomposed of a pentan-2,5-diyl group was reported in “J. Am. Chem. Soc.,1998, 120, p. 1732”. However, it is necessary for these reactions thatan oxygen nucleophilic agent is present at such a position as to easilyform a ring, and they are allylation reaction which can proceed onlyintramolecularly and which is a special system.

When carrying out allylation reaction using the above-mentioned catalyston an industrial scale, it is strongly demanded to improve a reactivityin order to reduce an amount of expensive palladium used, which is anoble metal, or to make a reactor size smaller, thereby reducing amanufacturing cost. As a method for improving the reactivity, there is amethod for having a counter cation of a nucleophilic agent present inthe reaction system. As its effect, a nucleophilic agent forming a pairor a coexistent state with such a counter cation increases itsnucleophilic attacking force, thereby improving the reactivity.

As some examples, a reaction of cyclopentadiene monoxide and an aceticacid anion is reported in “Organic Syntheses, 1998, 67, p114”, and inorder to improve the reactivity, a sodium ion is used as a countercation for acetic anion in this reaction. However, when such an alkalimetal is a counter cation, +1 valent charge is concentrated on one smallmetal ion, and accordingly there is a tendency of forming a strong ionpair with a nucleophilic agent of a counter anion. Consequently, theattacking force of such a nucleophilic agent is not sufficiently high.

For example, it is reported in “Tetrahedron Lett., 1998, 39, p5439” thatan allyl starting material compound and a formic acid anion are reactedby using a palladium catalyst comprising a triisopropyl phosphite ligandof trialkyl type monodentate phosphite in the presence of ammoniumcomprising triethylamine having a proton coordinate-bonded, but thisreaction is a reaction different from a reaction of an ordinary allylstarting material compound and a nucleophilic agent. That is, the formicacid anion does not form allyl formate by attacking a π-allyl complex asan intermediate but is coordinated to palladium, and carbon dioxide iseliminated and a hydride formed as this result reacts with the π-allylcomplex to provide a product of a structure having the allyl startingmaterial reduced.

As mentioned above, although it is possible to produce ether compoundsor ester compounds important in organic synthesis by their reaction ofan allyl starting material compound and its different oxygennucleophilic agent, a highly active catalyst system which cansufficiently react an oxygen nucleophilic agent having a low reactivityhas not been developed, and therefore practical reaction examples areactually limited. Particularly, in the reaction with alcohols, it isimpossible to sufficiently proceed the reaction unless a specialenvironment such as the above-mentioned intramolecular cyclizationreaction is provided. Therefore, it has been demanded to develop a newcatalyst system which achieves a sufficiently high catalyst activityeven in the reaction with such an oxygen nucleophilic agent as having alow reactivity.

The present invention has been made for solving the above-mentionedproblems. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide amethod for producing an allyl compound, which can efficiently producevarious allyl compounds by using a new catalyst system achieving anespecially high activity to such an oxygen nucleophilic agent as havinga low reactivity in the reaction of an allyl starting material compoundand an oxygen nucleophilic agent, and to provide an ether compound andan ester compound.

The present inventors have intensively studied to develop a catalystsystem capable of efficiently proceeding a reaction among molecules ofvarious allyl starting material compounds and their different oxygennucleophilic agents, and have discovered that a catalyst systemcomprising a multidentate phosphite compound and a transition metalcompound of Group 8 to Group 10 of the Periodic Table achieves anunexpectedly very high activity as compared with a conventional catalystsystem of monodentate phosphine or bidentate phosphine and a catalystsystem of triphenyl phosphite known as a prior art. The presentinvention has been accomplished on the basis of this discovery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

That is, the essential feature of the present invention resides in amethod for producing a new allyl compound having a compositional formuladifferent from that of an allyl starting material compound, whichcomprises reacting the allyl starting material compound with an oxygennucleophilic agent in the presence of a catalyst containing at least onetransition metal compound containing a transition metal selected fromthe group consisting of transition metals belonging to Group 8 to Group10 of the Periodic Table and a multidentate phosphite compound.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the present invention is described in more details.

A method for producing an allyl compound in accordance with the presentinvention (hereinafter referred to as “production method of the presentinvention”) produces a new allyl compound having a compositional formuladifferent from an allyl starting material compound by reacting the allylstarting material compound with an oxygen nucleophilic agent in thepresence of a catalyst containing the following specific transitionmetal compound and the following multidentate coordinated phosphitecompound.

First, the allyl starting material compound used in the productionmethod of the present invention is explained hereinafter. The allylstarting material compound is not specially limited so long as it has anallyl group and an eliminating group in a molecule, but has a totalmolecular weight of at most 1,500 (about at most 100 carbon atoms), andit is preferable that under reaction conditions, a part or all of theallyl starting material compound is soluble in a solvent, compatiblewith an oxygen nucleophilic agent, or meltable by melting with heat.Among them, a preferable example is a compound having such a structureas expressed by the following formula (a) wherein an eliminating groupexpressed by X is bonded to an allyl group having a group expressed byR^(a) to R^(e). The eliminating group means an atom or an atom groupwhich is bonded to carbon of a substrate structure (allyl structure inthe present invention) as a matrix and is generally an electronwithdrawing group and is eliminated from the substrate molecule havingan electron pair.

In the above formula (a), R^(a) to R^(e) are respectively independentlya hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, an amino group, aformyl group, a chain-like or cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group, analkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group,an amide group, an acyl group or an acyloxy group (in the presentspecification, the aryl group includes a heterocyclic compound formingan aromatic 6π electron cloud on the upper and lower parts of the ring).The above illustrated groups may further have a substituent. Examples ofthe substituent are not specially limited so long as they do not affectadversely the reaction system, but preferable examples include a halogenatom, a hydroxy group, an amino group, a formyl group, an alkyl group,an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, anarylthio group, an amide group, an acyl group or an acyloxy group.

Preferable examples of the above R^(a) to R^(e) include a hydrogen atom,a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, an amino group, a chain-like or cyclicalkyl group which may be substituted with the above substituents, anaryl group which may be substituted with the above substituents, analkoxy group which may be substituted with the above substituents, anaryloxy group which may be substituted with the above substituents, analkylthio group, an arylthio group, an acyl group or an acyloxy group,and more preferable examples include a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, ahydroxy group, an amino group, a chain-like or cyclic alkyl group whichmay be substituted with the above substituents, an aryl group which maybe substituted with the above substituents, an alkoxy group, anarylalkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylaryloxy group, an alkylthiogroup, an arylthio group, an acyl group or an acyloxy group.

The carbon number of R^(a) to R^(e) is generally at most 40, preferablyat most 30, more preferably at most 20. When R^(a) to R^(e) is a groupcontaining a carbon chain, the group may have at least one carbon-carbondouble bond or triple bond in the carbon chain.

Among the above illustrated groups, particularly preferable R^(a) toR^(e) are respectively independently a hydrogen atom, a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group.

Also, a group adversely affecting the reaction system is a materialpoisoning a catalyst such as a group containing conjugated diene, amaterial oxidizing and decomposing a phosphite compound such as a groupcontaining peroxide or the like. Accordingly, in the presentspecification, a group “having no adverse affection on the reactionsystem” means to exclude these groups adversely affecting the reactionsystem.

On the other hand, examples of the eliminating group X include a halogenatom, a hydroxy group, a nitro group, an amino group expressed byR′12N—, a sulfonyl group expressed by RSO₂—, a sulfonate group expressedby RSO₂O—, an acyloxy group expressed by RC(═O)O—, a carbonate groupexpressed by R′OC(═O)O—, a carbamate group expressed by R′NHC(═O)O—, aphosphate group expressed by (R′O)₂P(═O)O—, an alkoxy or aryloxy groupexpressed by RO—. In the above formulae, R is a monovalent organic groupand R′ is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group. The kind of theorganic group is not specially limited so long as it does not adverselyaffect the reaction system, but preferable examples include an alkylgroup or an aryl group. When R is an organic group, its carbon number isgenerally from 1 to 40, preferably from 1 to 30, more preferably from 1to 20. When the eliminating group X is a group containing a carbonchain, it may have at least one carbon-carbon double or triple bond in acarbon chain.

Among the above illustrated examples, X is preferably a hydroxyl group,an acyloxy group having a structure expressed by —C(═O)O—, a carbonategroup, a carbamate group, a phosphate group having a structure expressedby ═P(═O)— or a sulfonate group having a structure expressed by—S(═O)₂O—, and particularly preferable examples include a hydroxylgroup, an acyloxy group and a carbonate group. Examples of the acyloxygroup include a C₁–C₆ acyloxy group such as an acetoxy group, apropionyloxy group, a butyryloxy group or an isobutyryloxy group.Examples of the carbonate group include a C₁–C₆ alkylcarbonate groupsuch as a methylcarbonate group, an ethylcarbonate group or a C₆–C₁₂arylcarbonate group such as a phenylcarbonate group. A particularlypreferable example of X is a hydroxyl group and an acyloxy group, andmost preferable example of X is an acetoxy group.

Among the above R^(a) to R^(e) and X, at least two optional groups maybe bonded to each other to form at least one cyclic structure. However,when X is contained in a stable cyclic structure, it is not preferablesince X is hardly eliminated. The number of cyclic structures is notspecially limited, but is generally from 0 to 3, preferably from 0 to 2,particularly preferably from 0 or 1. Also, the number of atoms formingeach ring is not specially limited, but is usually 3 to 10-memberedring, preferably 4 to 9-membered ring, particularly preferably 5 to7-membered ring. When a plurality of rings are present, these rings maybe partly commonly owned to form a condensed ring structure.

When at least two groups of R^(a) to R^(e) and X are bonded to form acyclic structure, its carbon number is usually 0 to 40×p, preferably 0to 30×p, more preferably 0 to 20×p, wherein p is a number of groupsparticipating in the formation of the ring structure.

Examples of the allyl starting material compound expressed by the aboveformula (a) include preferably halogenated allyls, allyl alcohols,allylamines, allyl sulfones, allyl sulfonates, allyl esters ofcarboxylic acids, allyl carbonates, allyl carbamates, allyl esters ofphosphoric acid, allyl ethers, vinyl ethylene oxides, and the like.

Examples of the halogenated allyls include allyl chloride, 2-butenylbromide, 1-chloro-2-phenyl-2-pentene and the like.

Examples of the allyl alcohols include 2-butenyl alcohol,2,3-dimethyl-2-butenyl alcohol, 3-bromoallyl alcohol, cinnamyl alcohol,crotyl alcohol, 3-methyl-2-cyclohexene-1-ol, 3-methyl-2-butene-1-ol,geraniol, 2-pentene-1-ol, 3-butene-2-ol, 1-hexene-3-ol,2-methyl-3-phenyl-2-propene-1-ol,1-acetoxy-4-hydroxycyclopentene-2,1,2-dihydrocatechol,3-hexene-2,5-diol, and the like.

Examples of the allylamines include allyldiethylamine,3-methoxyallyldiphenylamine, triallylamine, 2-butenyldibenzylamine, andthe like.

Examples of the allyl sulfones include allylphenyl sulfone,methylyl-p-tolylsulfone, 2-methyl-3-sulfolene,1,3-diphenylallylmethylsulfone, and the like.

Example of the allyl sulfonates include allyl toluene-4-sulfonate,3-thiophenmethanesulfonate, 4-chloro-2-butenylmethanesulfonate, and thelike.

Example of the allyl esters of carboxylic acid include allyl acetate,2-hexenyl acetate, 2,4-hexadienyl acetate, prenyl acetate, geranylacetate, farnesyl acetate, cinnamyl acetate, rinaryl acetate,3-butene-2-yl acetate, 2-cyclopentenyl acetate,2-trimethylsilylmethyl-2-propenyl acetate, 2-methyl-2-cyclohexenylacetate, 1-phenyl-1-butene-3-yl propionate, 1-cyclohexyl-2-butenebutyrate, 4-cyclopenten-1,3-diol-1-acetate, 1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene,3-acetoxy-4-hydroxy-1-butene, and the like.

Example of the allyl carbonates include allylmethyl carbonate,4-acetoxy-2-butenylethyl carbonate, nerylmethyl carbonate and the like.

Examples of the allyl carbamates includeallyl-N-(4-fluorophenyl)carbamate, 2-butenyl-N-methyl carbamate,furfuryl-N-(2-methoxydiphenyl)carbamate and the like.

Examples of the allylesters of phosphoric acid include allyldimethylphosphate, 3-methyl-2-butenyldiphenyl phosphate, methylethylfurfurylphosphate and the like.

Examples of the allyl ethers include allyl ethyl ether, allyl phenylether, 2,3-diphenylallylisopropyl ether, 2-butenyl-4-fluorophenyl etherand the like.

Examples of the phenylethylene oxides include butadiene monoxide,cyclopentadiene monoxide, 1,3-cyclohexadiene monoxide and the like.

Particularly preferable examples of the allyl starting material compoundinclude a mixture of at least two compounds selected from the groupconsisting of 3,4-disubstituted 1-butene expressed by the followingformula (b), 1,4-disubstituted 2-butene expressed by the followingformula (c) and their compounds.CH₂═CH—CHR¹—CH₂R²  (b)

In the above formula (b), R¹ and R² are respectively independently anacetoxy group or a hydroxyl group. Examples of the 3,4-disubstituted1-butene expressed by the above formula (b) include3,4-diacetoxy-1-butene, 3-acetoxy-4-hydroxy-1-butene,4-acetoxy-3-hydroxy-1-butene, 3,4-dihydroxy-1-butene, and the like.R³CH₂—CH═CH—CH₂R⁴  (c)

In the formula (c), R³ and R⁴ are respectively independently an acetoxygroup or a hydroxyl group. Examples of the 1,4-disubstituted 2-buteneexpressed by the above formula (c) include 1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene,1-acetoxy-4-hydroxy-2-butene, 1,4-dihydroxy-2-butene, and the like.

Next, the oxygen nucleophilic agent used in the production method of thepresent invention is explained hereinafter. Generally, a nucleophilicagent is a reactive material having a non-covalent electron pair, whichis basic and has a tendency of attacking a carbon nucleus, but in thepresent invention, every reactive material having a non-covalentelectron pair on an oxygen atom and having a tendency of attacking anallyl-terminated carbon nucleus of π-allyl complex with the electronpair is used as the oxygen nucleophilic agent.

Examples of the oxygen nucleophilic agent usable in the presentinvention include a proton adduct compound expressed by AO—H containinga nucleophilic oxygen atom, an anion expressed by AO⁻ which is adeprotonated material, or a compound which can be an anion in thereaction system. In the above formula, A is a hydrogen atom or anorganic group. The organic group is a material having a carbon atom, anitrogen atom, a phosphorus atom or a sulfur atom bonded to thenucleophilic oxygen atom, which becomes a liquid in the reaction systemand does not adversely affect the reaction system. The carbon number ofthe organic group is generally in a range of from 1 to 40 so that it canbe easily soluble in the reaction system, and the carbon number ispreferably from 1 to 30, more preferably from 1 to 20.

Examples of the organic group bonded to the nucleophilic oxygen atom byway of a carbon atom include an unsubstituted or substituted chain-likeor cyclic alkyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted aryl group or anacyl group.

Examples of the organic group bonded to the nucleophilic oxygen atom byway of a nitrogen atom include an unsubstituted or substituted aminogroup or a group having a C═N bond.

Examples of the organic group bonded to the nucleophilic oxygen atom byway of a phosphorus atom include an unsubstituted or substitutedphosphonate group, an unsubstituted or substituted phosphinate group oran unsubstituted or substituted phosphinoyl group.

Examples of the organic group bonded to the nucleophilic oxygen atom byway of a sulfur atom include an unsubstituted or substituted sulfonylgroup.

Substituents of the above illustrated groups are not specially limitedso long as they are an organic group and do not adversely affect thereaction system, and preferable examples include a chain-like or cyclicalkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an arylalkoxy group, anaryloxy group, an alkylaryloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthiogroup, an acyl group or an acyloxy group. When the above illustratedgroups have these substituents, the total carbon number includingsubstituents should be within the above-mentioned range.

However, even when an oxygen nucleophilic agent is within theabove-mentioned definition, it is necessary to exclude such an oxygennucleophilic agent as to be the same as substituent (X or its anion X⁻in the above formula (a)) or its proton adduct (X—H), which iseliminated from an allyl starting material compound depending on thereaction, since it provides such a state as not proceeding the reactionapparently or such a state as producing an isomerized material only ofthe allyl starting material compound as a product. Also, it is necessaryto exclude such an oxygen nucleophilic agent as to be completely thesame as the allyl starting material compound, and for example, when theoxygen nucleophilic agent and the allyl starting material compound areboth allyl alcohols, its product is limited to a diallyl ether having astructure obtained by simple dehydration condensation of the startingmaterial, as previously described with regard to the prior art. Such anoxygen nucleophilic agent should be excluded since it is less importantin respect of carrying out a wide variety of synthesis.

Among the above explained oxygen nucleophilic agents, a preferableoxygen nucleophilic agent is a material having a total molecular weightof at most 400 (about at most 30 carbon atoms), a part or all of whichis soluble in a solvent, compatible with an allyl starting materialcompound, or meltable by melting with heat.

Examples of an oxygen nucleophilic agent in a proton adduct form (AO—H)are illustrated below. When A is a hydrogen atom, it is water.

When A is an organic group having a nucleophilic oxygen bonded a carbonatom, their examples include hydroxy compounds, carboxylic acids,thiocarboxylic acids or selenocarboxylic acids.

Examples of the hydroxy compounds include alcohols such as methanol,ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, sec-butanol, t-butanol, allyl alcohol,2-ethylhexyl alcohol, 4-chloro-1-butanol, benzyl alcohol, cyclohexanol,ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol and 1,4-butanediol; and phenols such asphenol, p-methoxyphenol, 2,4-dimethylphenol, 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol,3,6-di-t-butyl-2-naphthol, 2-pyridinol or 2-bromo-4-pyridinol.

Examples of the carboxylic acids include aliphatic carboxylic acids suchas acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, chloroacetic acid, oxalicacid or adipic acid; and aromatic carboxylic acids such as benzoic acid,naphthalene-2-carboxylic acid, m-cyanobenzoic acid or o-toluic acid.

Examples of the thiocarboxylic acids include a compound expressed byCH₃C(═S)—OH or a compound expressed by PhC(═S)—OH.

Examples of the selenocarboxylic acids include a compound expressed byCH₃C(C═Se)—OH or a compound expressed by PhC(═Se)—OH. In the presentspecification, Ph means a phenyl group.

When A is an organic group wherein a nucleophilic oxygen and a nitrogenatom are bonded to each other, its examples include hydroxyamines suchas N,N-diethylhydroxyamine, N,N-dibenzylhydroxyamine or the like; oximessuch as acetone oxime, benzophenone oxime, cyclopentanone oxime or thelike; carbamates such as t-butyl-N-hydroxy carbamate or the like;hydroxyimides such as N-hydroxymaleimide, N-hydroxy succinimide or thelike; 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, and the like.

When A is an organic group wherein a nucleophilic oxygen and aphosphorus atom are bonded to each other, its examples includephosphinic acids, phosphonic acid esters, phosphoric acid esters, andthe like.

Examples of the phosphinic acids include dimethylphosphinic acid,diphenylphosphinic acid or the like; examples of the phosphonic acidesters include ethyl phosphonic acid, propyl phosphonic acid monophenylester or the like; and examples of the phosphoric acid esters includediphenyl phosphate, dimethyl phosphate or the like.

When A is an organic group wherein a nucleophilic oxygen and a sulfuratom are bonded to each other, its examples include sulfonic acids suchas p-toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid orthe like; and sulfuric acid monoesters such as sulfuric acidmonophenylester, sulfuric acid monooctylester or the like.

All of the above illustrated examples are shown in a proton adduct form,but each of the above illustrated compounds includes a deprotonatedproduct or a compound convertible to its deprotonated product in thereaction system. Examples of the compound convertible to itsdeprotonated product in the reaction system include a compound in whichthe deprotonated product is bonded to other atom or atom group. Examplesof the other atom or atom group bonded to the deprotonated productinclude various kinds of monovalent cations (such as Na⁺, K⁺ or thelike).

Among the above illustrated examples, the compound wherein A is anorganic group having a nucleophilic oxygen and a carbon atom bonded toeach other is particularly preferable, and the following types (i) to(iv) oxygen nucleophilic agents are particularly preferable.

(i) Alcohols expressed by RO—H or RO⁻ (wherein R is an alkyl group whichmay have a substituent and may have a double bond or a triple bond in acarbon chain) or their deprotonated products.

(ii) Hydroxy aryls expressed by ArO—H or ArO⁻ (wherein Ar is an arylgroup which may have a substituent and may contain a hetero atom such asnitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus or sulfur) or their deprotonated products.

(iii) Aliphatic carboxylic acids expressed by R′COO—H or R′COO⁻ (whereinR′ is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group which may have a substituent andmay have a double bond or a triple bond in a carbon chain).

(iv) Aromatic carboxylic acids expressed by Ar′COO—H or Ar′COO⁻ (whereinAr′ is an aryl group which may have a substituent and may have a heteroatom such as nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus or sulfur) or theirdeprotonated products.

Examples of the type (i) oxygen nucleophilic agent include a saturatedor unsaturated alcohol and their substituent-containing products, and asaturated or unsaturated diol, a multi-substituted alcohol or theirsubstituent-containing products.

Examples of the saturated or unsaturated alcohol and theirsubstituent-containing products include methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol,n-propyl alcohol, i-propyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol,n-octanol, allyl alcohol, crotyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol,1-bromo-2-propanol, 2-methylcyclopentanol, 2-phenylethanol, neopentylalcohol, 4-cyclohexenol, cholesterol and the like. Examples of thesaturated or unsaturated diol, the multi-substituted alcohol or theirsubstituent-containing products include 1,2-ethane diol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-buthane diol, 2-butene-1,4-diol, 2-chloro-1,3-propane diol,1,2-cyclopentane diol, glycerin, pentaerythritol and the like.

Among the type (i) oxygen nucleophilic agents, a saturated alcohol or asaturated diol is preferable, examples of which include methyl alcohol,ethyl alcohol, n-propyl alcohol, i-propyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol,2-ethylhexanol, n-octanol and a C₁–C₁₀ diol such as 1,2-ethanediol,1,3-propane diol or 1,4-buthane diol.

Examples of the type (ii) oxygen nucleophilic agents include monohydroxyaryl and their substituent-containing products, and di- or polyhydroxyaryl and their substituent-containing products. Examples of themonohydroxy aryl and their substituent-containing products includephenol, cresol, 4-nitrophenol, 2-fluorophenol, 2,4-di-t-butylphenol,2,4-di-t-butyl-6-methylphenol, 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol,3-t-butyl-2-naphthol or the like. Examples of the di- or polyhydroxyaryl and their substituent-containing products include catechol,resorcinol, hydroquinone, 2,4-dihydroxyphenyl ethyl ketone, 4-n-hexylresorcinol, 1,8-dihydroxy naphthalene, 1,2-dihydroxy naphthalene,1-methyl-2,3-dihydroxy naphthalene, 1,2,4-benzene triol or the like.

Among the type (ii) oxygen nucleophilic agents, monohydroxy aryl ordihydroxy aryl is preferable, examples of which include a C₁–C₁₅hydroxyaryl such as phenol, 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol, catechol,resorcinol, hydroquinone or 2,6-dihydroxy naphthalene.

Examples of the type (iii) oxygen nucleophilic agents include asaturated aliphatic carboxylic acid and their substituent-containingproducts, an unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acid and theirsubstituent-containing products, and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids andtheir substituent-containing products, and the like. Examples of thesaturated aliphatic carboxylic acid and their substituent-containingproducts include acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valericacid, caproic acid, lauric acid, cyclohexane carboxylic acid, α-methylbutyric acid, γ-chloro-α-methyl valeic acid, α-hydroxy propionic acid,γ-phenyl butyric acid, and the like. Examples of the unsaturatedaliphatic carboxylic acid and their substituent-containing productsinclude acrylic acid, oleic acid, linolic acid, linolenic acid,2-cyclohexene carboxylic acid, 4-methoxy-2-butenoic acid, methacrylicacid, and the like. Examples of the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid andtheir substituent-containing products include oxalic acid, malonic acid,succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid,and the like.

Among the type (iii) oxygen nucleophilic agents, a saturated aliphaticcarboxylic acid or a saturated aliphatic dicarboxylic acid ispreferable, examples of which include a C₁–C₂₀ aliphatic carboxylic acidsuch as acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproicacid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oxalicacid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, and thelike.

Examples of the type (iv) oxygen nucleophilic agents include an aromaticcarboxylic acid and their substituent-containing products, and anaromatic di- or polycarboxylic acid and their substituent-containingproducts. Examples of the aromatic carboxylic acid and theirsubstituent-containing products include benzoic acid, 3-cyanobenzoicacid, 2-bromobenzoic acid, 2,3-dimethoxybenzoic acid, 4-phenoxybenzoicacid, p-nitrobenzoic acid, m-toluic acid, o-methoxybenzoic acid,phthalic acid monomethyl ester, terephthalic acid monoethyl ester,naphthalene-1-carboxylic acid, 1-methylnaphthalene-2-carboxylic acid,2-ethoxynaphthalene-1-carboxylic acid, 1-hydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxylicacid, 1-bromonaphthalene-2-carboxylic acid, anthracene-9-carboxylicacid, phenanthrene-4-carboxylic acid, picolinic acid, nicotinic acid,isonicotinic acid, 2-methoxythionicotinic acid, 6-chloronicotinic acid,isoquinoline-1-carboxylic acid, quinoline-3-carboxylic acid,quinoline-4-carboxylic acid, 4-methoxyquinoline-2-carboxylic acid, andthe like. Examples of the aromatic di- or polycarboxylic acid and theirsubstituent-containing products include phthalic acid, isophthalic acid,terephthalic acid, benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid,benzene-1,2,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid, naphthalene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid,naphthalene-1,8-dicarboxylic acid, naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid,naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, naphthalene-1,4,5,8-tetracarboxylicacid, and the like.

Among the type (iv) oxygen nucleophilic agents, an aromatic carboxylicacid or dicarboxylic acid is preferable, examples of which include aC₆–C₁₅ aromatic carboxylic acid such as benzoic acid,naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid orterephthalic acid.

Hereinafter, a catalyst used in the production method of the presentinvention is explained in details. The catalyst used in the presentinvention contains at least one transition metal compound and amultidentate coordinated phosphite compound.

The transition metal compound used in the present invention is at leastone kind of compound containing a transition metal selected from thegroup consisting of transition metals belonging to Group 8 to Group 10of the Periodic Table (according to IUPAC Inorganic ChemistryNomenclature, Revised Edition, 1998). Examples of the transition metalcompound include an iron compound, a ruthenium compound, an osmiumcompound, a cobalt compound, a rhodium compound, an iridium compound, anickel compound, a palladium compound and a platinum compound, and amongthem, a ruthenium compound, a rhodium compound, an iridium compound, anickel compound, a palladium compound and a platinum compound arepreferable, and a nickel compound, a palladium compound and a platinumcompound are more preferable, and a palladium compound is particularlypreferable. Kinds of these compounds are optional, examples of whichinclude compounds of the above-mentioned transition metals such as anacetyl acetonate compound, a halide, a sulfate, a nitrate, an organicsalt, an inorganic salt, an alkene-coordinated compound, anamine-coordinated compound, a pyridine-coordinated compound, a carbonmonoxide-coordinated compound, a phosphine-coordinated compound, aphosphite-coordinated compound or the like.

Examples of the above transition metal compounds are illustrated below.Examples of the iron compound include Fe(OAc)₂, Fe(acac)₃, FeCl₂,Fe(NO₃)₃ or the like. Examples of the ruthenium compound include RuCl₃,Ru(OAc)₃, Ru(acac)₃, RuCl₂(PPh₃)₃ or the like. Examples of the osmiumcompound include OsCl₃, Os(OAc)₃ or the like. Examples of the cobaltcompound include Co(OAc)₂, Co(acac)₂, CoBr₂, Co(NO₃)₂ or the like.Examples of the rhodium compound include RhCl₃, Rh(OAc)₃, [Rh(OAc)₂]₂,Rh(acac)(CO)₂, [Rh(OAc)(cod)]₂, [RhCl(cod)]₂ or the like. Examples ofthe iridium compound include IrCl₃, Ir(OAc)₃, [IrCl(cod)]₂ or the like.Examples of the nickel compound include NiCl₂, NiBr₂, Ni(NO₃)₂, NiSO₄,Ni(cod)₂, NiCl₂(PPh₃)₃ or the like. Examples of the palladium compoundinclude Pd(0), PdCl₂, PdBr₂, PdCl₂(cod), PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂, Pd(PPh₃)₄,Pd₂(dba)₃, K₂PdCl₄, K₂PdCl₆, PdCl₂(PhCN)₂, PdCl₂(CH₃CN)₂, Pd(dba)₂,Pd(NO₃)₂, Pd(OAc)₂, Pd(CF₃COO)₂, PdSO₄, Pd(acac)₂, other carboxylatecompounds, an olefin-containing compound, an organicphosphine-containing compound such as Pd(PPh₃)₄, allyl palladiumchloride dimer, or the like. Examples of the platinum compound includePt(acac)₂, PtCl₂(cod), PtCl₂(CH₃CN)₂, PtCl₂(PhCN)₂, Pt(PPh₃)₄, K₂PtCl₄,Na₂PtCl₆, H₂PtCl₆ or the like. In the above illustrations, “cod” means“1,5-cyclooctadiene”, “dba” means “dibenzylideneacetone”, “acac” means“acetylacetonate”, and “Ac” means “acetyl group”.

Kinds of the transition metal compounds are not specially limited, andmay be a monomer, a dimer and/or a polymer so long as they are an activemetal complex.

An amount of the transition metal compound used in the present inventionis not specially limited, but in view of a catalytic activity andeconomic conditions, it is preferable to use the transition metalcompound in an amount of generally at least 1×10⁻⁸ (0.01 mol ppm) molequivalent, preferably at least 1×10⁻⁷ (0.1 mol ppm) mol equivalent,more preferably at least 1×10⁻⁶ (1 mol ppm) mol equivalent, andgenerally at most 1 mol equivalent, preferably at most 0.001 molequivalent, more preferably at most 0.0001 mol equivalent, to the amountof an allyl compound used as a reaction starting material.

On the other hand, kinds of the multidentate phosphite compound used inthe present invention are not specially limited so long as it is aphosphite compound which is a chelate ligand to the above-mentionedtransition metal compound. The number of coordination dentates isusually from bidentate to tetradentate, preferably bidentate. Also, inorder to raise a catalyst activity, it is preferably soluble in thereaction system, and its molecular weight is usually at most 3,000,preferably at most 1,500, and usually at least 250, preferably at least300, more preferably at least 400.

Among bidentate phosphites, a preferable compound is at least onecompound selected from the group consisting of compounds as illustratedby the following formulae (I) to (IV).

In the above formulae (I) to (IV), R¹⁰ to R¹⁷ are respectivelyindependently a chain-like or cyclic alkyl group or an aryl group.Examples of the alkyl group include a chain-like alkyl group such as amethyl group, an ethyl group, an n-propyl group, an i-propyl group, ann-butyl group, an i-butyl group, a sec-butyl group, a t-butyl group, ahexyl group, an octyl group and a decyl group; and a cyclic alkyl groupsuch as a cyclopentyl group, a cyclohexyl group and a cycloheptyl group.Examples of the aryl group include a phenyl group, a tolyl group, axylyl group, a di-t-butylphenyl group, a naphthyl group, adi-t-butylnaphthyl group, a pyridyl group, a pyrrolyl group, a pyrazolylgroup, an imidazolyl group, a quinolyl group, an isoquinolyl group, anindolyl group, a furanyl group, a thiophenyl group, an oxazolyl group,and a thiazolyl group.

The above-mentioned alkyl or aryl group may have a substituent. Thenumber of the substituent is not specially limited, but is generally atmost 6, preferably at most 4. The substituent is not specially limitedso long as it does not adversely affect the reaction system, but itspreferable examples include a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom, a cyanogroup, a nitro group, a formyl group, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group,an aryl group, an aryloxy group, an amino group, an amide group, aperfluoroalkyl group, a trialkylsilyl group, an ester group or the like.

The carbon number of R¹⁰ to R¹⁷ is usually from 1 to 40, preferably from1 to 30, more preferably from 1 to 20. When the above-mentioned alkyl oraryl group has a substituent, the total carbon number of the total groupincluding the substituent should be within the above-mentioned range.

Among the above illustrated groups, in view of stability of the abovephosphite, R¹⁰ to R¹⁷ are preferably an unsubstituted or substitutedaryl group. Examples of the unsubstituted or substituted aryl groupinclude a phenyl group, a 2-methylphenyl group, a 3-methylphenyl group,a 4-methylphenyl group, a 2,3-dimethylphenyl group, a 2,4-dimethylphenylgroup, a 2,5-dimethylphenyl group, a 2,6-dimethylphenyl group, a2-ethylphenyl group, a 2-isopropylphenyl group, a 2-t-butylphenyl group,a 2,4-di-t-butylphenyl group, a 2-chlorophenyl group, a 3-chlorophenylgroup, a 4-chlorophenyl group, a 2,3-dichlorophenyl group, a2,4-dichlorophenyl group, a 2,5-dichlorophenyl group, a3,4-dichlorophenyl group, a 3,5-dichlorophenyl group, a4-trifluoromethylphenyl group, a 2-methoxyphenyl group, a3-methoxyphenyl group, a 4-methoxyphenyl group, a 3,5-dimethoxyphenylgroup, a 4-cyanophenyl group, a 4-nitrophenyl group, a pentafluorophenylgroup, a 1-naphthyl group, a 2-naphthyl group, a 2-methyl-1-naphthylgroup, a 3-t-butyl-2-naphthyl group, a 3-methyloxycarbonyl-2-naphthylgroup, a 3,6-di-t-butyl-2-naphthyl group, a5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-2-yl group, a5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-1-yl group, and the like.

In the formula (1), T represents a tetravalent organic group. Thetetravalent organic group is not specially limited so long as it doesnot adversely affect the reaction system, but its preferable examplesinclude a carbon atom, an unsubstituted or substituted alkanetetraylgroup, an unsubstituted or substituted benzenetetrayl group, or a grouphaving a structure expressed by T¹-(Q²)_(n)-T². T¹ and T² arerespectively independently a trivalent organic group. Preferableexamples of the trivalent organic group include an unsubstituted orsubstituted alkanetriyl group, an unsubstituted or substitutedbenzenetriyl group or the like. Q² represents —CR¹⁸R¹⁹— (R¹⁸ and R¹⁹ arerespectively independently a chain-like or cyclic alkyl group or an arylgroup), —O—, —S— or —CO—. n is 0 or 1. The alkyl group or the aryl groupof R¹⁸ and R¹⁹ are the same as illustrated with regard to the above R¹⁰to R¹⁷.

In the formulae (II) to (IV), Z¹ to Z³ and A¹ to A³ are respectivelyindependently a bivalent organic group. A kind of the bivalent organicgroup is not specially limited so long as it does not adversely affectthe reaction system, but its preferable examples include an alkylenegroup, an arylene group, an alkylene-arylene group, or a diarylenegroup. These organic groups may have a substituent, provided that thesubstituent does not adversely affect the reaction system. Preferableexamples of the substituent include a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom, acyano group, a nitro group, a formyl group, an alkyl group, an alkoxygroup, an aryl group, an aryloxy group, an amino group, an amide group,a perfluoroalkyl group, a trialkylsilyl group and an ester group.

Each carbon number of Z¹ to Z³ and A¹ to A³ is usually from 1 to 60.Among them, in case of an unsubstituted or substituted alkylene group,an unsubstituted or substituted arylene group or an unsubstituted orsubstituted alkylene-arylene group, its carbon number is usually at most40, preferably at most 30, more preferably at most 20. On the otherhand, in case of an unsubstituted or substituted diarylene group, itscarbon number is usually at most 60, preferably at most 50, morepreferably at most 40.

Examples of the unsubstituted or substituted alkylene group include anethylene group, a tetramethylethylene group, a 1,3-propylene group, a2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propylene group, a 1,4-butylene group or the like.

Examples of the unsubstituted or substituted arylene group include a1,2-phenylene group, a 1,3-phenylene group, a3,5-di-t-butyl-1,2-phenylene group, a 2,3-naphthylene group, a1,4-di-t-butyl-2,3-naphthylene group, a 1,8-naphthylene group or thelike.

Examples of the unsubstituted or substituted alkylene-arylene groupinclude substituents as expressed by the following structural formulae(D-1) to (D-12).

On the other hand, the diarylene group is a group wherein two arylenegroups are directly bonded to each other or two arylene groups arebonded to each other by way of a bivalent organic group, and is a grouphaving a structure as expressed by —Ar¹-(Q¹)_(n)-Ar²—. Ar¹ and Ar² arerespectively independently an arylene group which may have asubstituent. Q¹ is a bivalent organic group, examples of which include—O—, —S—, —CO— or —CR¹⁸R¹⁹—. R¹⁸ and R¹⁹ are respectively independentlya hydrogen atom, a chain-like or cyclic alkyl group which may have asubstituent or an aryl group which may have a substituent. n is 0 or 1.The arylene group of Ar¹ and Ar² and the alkyl group and the aryl groupof R¹⁸ and R¹⁹ may have respectively independently a substituent,preferable examples of which include a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom, acyano group, a nitro group, formyl group, an alkyl group, an alkoxygroup, an aryl group, an aryloxy group, an amino group, an amide group,a perfluoroalkyl group, a trialkylsilyl group, an ester group or thelike.

Examples of the arylene group which may have a substituent includegroups as illustrated by the following structural formulae (A-1) to(A-48).

As mentioned above, the phosphite compounds as expressed by the aboveformulae (I) to (IV) include phosphites having various structuresdepending on combinations of substituents. Among them, preferableexamples of the phosphite of the formula (I) include phosphitesexpressed by the following formulae (L-1) to (L-5), preferable examplesof the phosphite of the formula (II) include phosphites expressed by thefollowing formulae (L-6) to (L-32), preferable examples of the phosphiteof the formula (III) include phosphites expressed by the followingformulae (L-33) to (L-46) and (L-57), and preferable examples of thephosphite of the formula (IV) include phosphites expressed by thefollowing formulae (L-47) to (L-57).

Among the above illustrated phosphite compounds, bidentate phosphitecompounds having such structures as expressed by the formulae (II) to(IV) are preferable. Their examples include compounds having suchstructures as expressed by the above formulae (L-6) to (L-56). In orderto improve stability of these phosphite compounds, R¹⁰ to R¹⁷ arepreferably respectively independently an unsubstituted or substitutedaryl group, Z¹ to Z³ are preferably respectively independently anunsubstituted or substituted diarylene group, and A¹ to A³ arepreferably respectively independently an alkylene group, an arylenegroup, and an alkylene-arylene group or a diarylene group, which mayhave a substituent. Their typical examples include compounds having suchstructures as expressed by the above formulae (L-8), (L-10) to (L-12),(L-14), (L-15), (L-18) to (L-20), (L-24) to (L-30), (L-32), (L-36) to(L-39), (L-45), (L-46), (L-50) and (L-52) to (L-57).

The above multidentate coordinated phosphite compound is used in anamount of a mol ratio of usually at least 0.1, preferably at least 0.5,more preferably at least 1.0, and usually at most 10,000, preferably atmost 500, more preferably at most 100, to the above-mentioned transitionmetal compound.

The above transition metal compound and the multidentate coordinatedphosphite compound may be added to the reaction system respectivelyalone, or may be previously complexed to be used. Alternatively, theabove multidentate coordinated phosphite compound may be bonded to someinsoluble resin carriers, and the above transition metal compound may becarried thereon to form an insoluble solid catalyst to be used for thereaction. Further, only one kind of the multidentate coordinatedphosphite compound may be used for the reaction, or an optionalcombination of at least two kinds of the multidentate coordinatedphosphite compounds may be used at the same time for the reaction.

By reacting an allyl starting material compound and an oxygennucleophilic agent in the presence of a catalyst comprising the aboveexplained transition metal compound and multidentate coordinatedphosphite compound, a new allyl compound (such as ether compounds orester compounds) can be efficiently produced.

The reaction of the production method of the present invention isusually carried out in liquid phase. The reaction can be carried outeither in the presence or absence of a solvent. When using a solvent,any optional solvent is usable so long as it dissolves the catalyst andthe starting material compound and does not adversely affect thecatalyst activity, and the kind of the solvent is not specially limited.Preferable examples of the solvent include carboxylic acids such asacetic acid, propionic acid or butyric acid, alcohols such as methanol,n-butanol or 2-ethylhexanol, ethers such as diglyme, diphenyl ether,dibenzyl ether, diallyl ether, tetrahydrofuran (THF) or dioxane, amidessuch as N-methyl-2-pyrolidone, dimethylformamide or dimethylacetamide,ketones such as cyclohexanone, esters such as butyl acetate,γ-butylolactone or di(n-octyl) phthalate, aromatic hydrocarbons such astoluene, xylene or dodecylbenzene, aliphatic hydrocarbons such aspentane, hexane, heptane or octane, a high boiling point material formedas a by-product in the allylation reaction system, and an allyl compoundas a starting material, an allyl compound as a product, a compoundderived from an eliminated group of a starting material allyl compoundand the like. An amount of these solvents is not specially limited, butis usually at least 0.1 weight time, preferably at least 0.2 weighttime, and usually at most 20 weight times, preferably at most 10 weighttimes, to a total amount of the allyl compound used as the startingmaterial.

The actual reaction may be carried out by employing various reactionsystems. For example, the reaction can be carried out in any ofcontinuous system, semi-continuous system or batch wise system by usinga stirring type completely mixing reactor, a plug flow type reactor, asolid bed type reactor, a suspension bed type reactor or the like.

When actually carrying out the reaction, reaction conditions may beoptionally selected depending on a reaction substrate or a product. Forexample, when employing a stirring type completely mixing reactor, thereaction is carried out by a process comprising adding a catalystsolution prepared in a catalyst-preparing tank to a mixture solution ofan allyl starting material compound, an oxygen nucleophilic agent and anoptionally a solvent, introducing the resultant mixture into the reactorcontinuously or semi-continuously, retaining the reaction mixture at areaction temperature with stirring to proceed the allylation reaction ofthe oxygen nucleophilic agent, and withdrawing a part of the reactionsolution continuously or semi-continuously from the reactor. Also, whenemploying a plug flow type reactor, the reaction is carried out bypassing the reaction solution containing the above starting materialsand the catalyst through a tubular reactor maintained at a certainreaction temperature. This system is suitable for achieving a highconversion of the starting materials. Further, when employing aninsoluble solid catalyst having a catalyst carried thereon, it issuitable to use a solid bed reaction system wherein the reaction iscarried out by passing a solution containing starting materials throughthe reactor having the catalyst loaded, or it is possible to use asuspension bed reaction system wherein the reaction is carried out bystirring and mixing a solution containing starting materials and aparticulate insoluble catalyst in a reactor and maintaining the reactionsolution in suspension state.

The reaction temperature is not specially limited so long as it is atemperature at which the catalytic reaction proceeds, but when using anoble metal compound such as palladium, the reaction temperature shouldnot be too high. If the reaction temperature is too high, there is arisk that metallization occurs and an effective catalyst concentrationis reduced. Also, if the reaction temperature is too high, there is arisk that the phosphite compound is decomposed. Accordingly, a suitablereaction temperature is usually at least 0° C., preferably at least 20°C., more preferably at least 50° C., and usually at most 180° C.,preferably at most 160° C., and more preferably at most 150° C.

The atmosphere in a reactor is preferably filled with a gas inert to thereaction system such as argon or nitrogen, in addition to vapors derivedfrom a solvent, a starting material compound, a reaction product, areaction by-product, a decomposed material of catalyst and the like.Particularly, it is necessary to pay a special attention so that theatmosphere should not be mixed with oxygen for example by air leakage.If the atmosphere is contaminated with oxygen, the catalyst is degradedand the phosphite compound is decomposed by oxidation. Thus, it is quitenecessary to avoid the contamination of the atmosphere with oxygen.

The retention time of the reaction solution in the reactor, i.e. thereaction time, is varied depending on an aimed conversion value of thestarting material, but it is necessary to prolong the reaction time if ahigher conversion is desired under a constant catalyst concentration. Onthe other hand, if it is desired to reduce the reaction time bymaintaining the high conversion, it is necessary to raise a catalystactivity by raising a catalyst concentration, increasing a catalystamount or raising the reaction temperature. However, in order to avoiddegradation of the catalyst or a side reaction by heat history, it ispreferable not to employ unnecessarily long reaction time or hightemperature.

In this case, it is preferable for improving a reaction activity to havea phosphonium compound and/or an ammonium compound present in thereaction system.

The phosphonium compound and/or the ammonium compound used in thepresent invention are not specially limited so long as they havebasically a structure wherein four substituents are bonded to aphosphorus atom or a nitrogen atom. By providing such a structure, thereis provided a counter cation forming only an ion pair milder than analkali metal ion which is often conventionally used, and accordingly anattacking property, i.e. reactivity, of a nucleophilic agent can beraised. This is because in the case of an alkali metal ion, +1 valentcharge is concentrated on the surface of a small alkali metal ion,whereas in the case of a phosphonium compound or an ammonium compound,the whole molecule is +1 valent and a phosphorus atom or a nitrogen atomhaving charges concentrated thereon is concealed by four substituents.

Hereinafter, an explanation is made with regard to each compound.

Phosphonium Compound

A phosphonium compound is not specially limited, provided that it isstable under reaction conditions and is solved in the reaction systemand does not poison the catalyst (examples of a compound poisoning acatalyst include a compound containing a conjugated diene, a compoundoxidizing or decomposing a phosphite compound such as a peroxide, andthe like). In view of its solubility in the reaction system, thephosphonium compound has a molecular weight of usually at most 3,000,preferably at most 2,000, more preferably at most 1,500, and usually atleast 40, preferably at least 70, more preferably at least 100.

Among them, a phosphonium compound having a structure expressed by thefollowing formula (1) is preferable.PX¹X²X³X⁴  (1)

In the above formula (1), X¹ to X⁴ are respectively independently ahydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, achain-like or cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group (in the presentspecification, “aryl group” includes a heterocyclic compound forming anaromatic 6π electron cloud at the upper and lower parts of the ring), analkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group or an arylthio group.The above illustrated groups may further have a substituent. Thesubstituent is not specially limited so long as it does not adverselyaffect the reaction system, and preferable examples of the substituentinclude a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a chain-likeor cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group,an alkylthio group or an arylthio group. When the above illustratedunsubstituted or substituted groups contain a carbon chain, the carbonchain may have at least one carbon-carbon double bond or triple bond.

The carbon number of X¹ to X⁴ are respectively independently usually atmost 40, preferably at most 30, more preferably at most 20. At least twooptional groups of X¹ to X⁴ may be bonded to each other to form at leastone cyclic structure. The number of cycles is not specially limited, butis usually 0 to 3, preferably 0 to 2, more preferably 0 or 1. When atleast two groups of X¹ to X⁴ are bonded to form a cyclic structure, itscarbon number is usually at most 40×p, preferably at most 30×p, morepreferably at most 20×p, wherein p is the number of groups participatingin the formation of a cyclic structure. Also, the number of atomsforming each ring is not specially limited, but is usually 3 to10-membered ring, preferably 4 to 9-membered ring, more preferably from5 to 7-membered ring. When a plurality of rings are present, these ringsmay be partly jointly owned to form a condensed ring structure.

Among the above illustrated groups, preferable examples of X¹ to X⁴ arerespectively independently a hydrogen atom, a substituted orunsubstituted chain-like or cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxygroup, an arylalkoxy group or an aryloxy group, and more preferableexamples include a substituted or unsubstituted chain-like or cyclicalkyl group or an aryl group (in this case also, at least two optionalgroups of the alkyl group or the aryl group of X¹ to X⁴ may be bonded toform at least one cyclic structure as mentioned above).

Particularly, at least one group of X¹ to X⁴ is preferably a groupcapable of dispersing +1 valent charge on the phosphorus atom of aphosphonium compound by resonance effect. The phosphonium compoundhaving such a group can provide a counter cation for forming an ionpair. Examples of a group capable of providing such resonancestabilization of cation include a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or avinyl group, typical example of which include a phenyl group, a4-methoxyphenyl group, 4-t-butylphenyl group, a 2,4-di-t-butylphenylgroup, a 2,4-di-t-butyl-6-methylphenyl group, a 2,5-dimethylphenylgroup, a 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl group, a 1-naphthyl group, a 2-naphthylgroup, a 1-methyl-2-naphthyl group, a vinyl group or a 1-butenyl group.Among them, when taking a strength of effect of resonance stabilizationor easy synthesis of a phosphonium compound into consideration, asubstituted or unsubstituted aryl group is particularly preferable.

Examples of the phosphonium compound usable in the present inventioninclude hydroxytrimethoxyphosphonium, hydroxymethoxydimethylphosphonium,chlorohydroxydicyclohexylphosphonium, bromotriethoxyphosphonium,trichloro-3-phenoxy-1-propenylphosphonium,dichlorohydroxyphenylphosphonium, tri(t-butoxy)cyclohexylphosphonium,fluorotris(4-methoxyphenyl)phosphonium, methyltri(phenoxy)phosphonium,dimethylaminotris(4-ethylphenyl)phosphonium,tri(ethylthio)hydroxyphosphonium, diethoxyethylphenylthiophosphonium,trifluoromethyltris(dimethylamino)phosphonium,tetra(t-butyl)phosphonium, trimethyl-1-propynylphosphonium, and thelike.

Among them, in view of stability and solubility, preferable examplesinclude phosphonium compounds having respectively independently ahydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted chain-like or cyclic alkylgroup, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an arylalkoxy group, an aryloxygroup or an alkylaryloxy group as X¹ to X⁴. Typical examples of suchphosphonium compounds include tetra(n-dodecyl)phosphonium,tetrakis(2-octenyl)phosphonium,cyclohexyltris(2-methyl-2-butenyl)phosphonium,methoxymethyldi(n-butyl)phosphonium,allyl-t-butylethylphenoxyphosphonium,4-acetoxy-2-butenylphenylbis(2,4-di-t-butylphenoxy)phosphonium,t-butoxy-3-bromo-1-naphthoxybis(4-nitrophenyl)phosphonium,di(1-naphthoxy)-2,4-di-t-butyl-5-methylphenoxy-2-acetoxy-3-butenylphosphonium,2-butene-1,4-bis(tris(2-methoxyphenoxy)phosphonium),tetrakis(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy)phosphonium, and the like.

Further, more preferable examples of a phosphonium compound include acompound having a chain-like or cyclic and substituted or unsubstitutedalkyl or aryl group as X¹ to X⁴. These preferable examples include aphosphonium compound having a structure wherein all of the foursubstituents X¹ to X⁴ of the phosphonium compound are bonded to aphosphorus atom by P—C bond. Examples of such a phosphonium compoundinclude tetramethylphosphonium, tetra(n-butyl)phosphonium,tetra(methylol)phosphonium,4-acetoxybutyldiethyl-2-methoxyethylphosphonium,neopentyltriphenylphosphonium, tetraphenylphosphonium,tetrakis(4-fluorofluorophenyl)phosphonium,2-butenylbis(4-t-butylphenyl)-3-cyanopropylphosphonium,methyltriphenylphosphonium, 4-methylcyclohexyltri(i-propyl)phosphonium,dimethylpentamethylenephosphonium,4-acetoxy-2-butenyltriphenylphosphonium,2-butenyl-1,4-bis(triphenylphosphonium),naphthalene-1,8-bis(trimethylphosphonium),biphenyl-2,2′-bis(diphenylmethylphosphonium), and the like. Also, theexamples include all of a phosphonium compound having an allyl groupderived from reaction of phosphine and an allyl compound.

Particularly preferable examples include a phosphonium compound whereinat least one of X¹ to X⁴ is a group capable of dispersing +1 valentcharge on a phosphorus atom by resonance effect, as mentioned above.Examples of such a preferable phosphonium compound includetrimethylphenylphosphonium,4-acetoxy-2-butenyldicyclohexylphenylphosphonium,2-butenyl-1,4-bis(dicyclohexylphenylphosphonium),triethyl-1-naphthylphosphonium,tri-n-butyl-1-methyl-2-naphthylphosphonium, diethylphosphinedrium,4-acetoxy-2-butenyldiphenyl-i-propylphosphonium,2-butenyl-1,4-bis(diphenyl-i-propylphosphonium),dimethylbis(2,4-dimethylphenyl)phosphonium,t-butyl-1-acetoxymethyl-2-propenylbis(2-naphthyl)phosphonium,diphenylisophosphinedrium, methyltriphenylphosphonium,4-acetoxy-2-butenyltriphenylphosphonium,2-butenyl-1,4-bis(triphenylphosphonium),1-butene-3,4-bis(triphenylphosphonium),1-acetoxymethyl-2-propenyltris(4-methoxydiphenyl)phosphonium,tetraphenylphosphonium, di(1-naphthyl)diphenylphosphonium,tetrakis(2-naphthyl)phosphonium,naphthalene-2,6-bis(triphenylphosphonium), and the like.

Further, in order to further weaken cationic property of phosphonium, itis preferable that such an aryl group has an electron donativesubstituent such as an alkyl group or a methoxy group.

When the above-mentioned phosphonium compound is present in the reactionsystem of carrying out allylation reaction, an effect of improving areactivity is achieved. In this case, any one kind of phosphoniumcompound may be used alone or several kinds of phosphonium compounds maybe used by optionally combining and mixing.

A method for introducing the phosphonium compound into the reactionsystem is not specially limited, but there is a method of positivelyadding the phosphonium compound to the reaction system or a method ofpreparing the phosphonium compound in the reaction system. These methodsare further explained hereinafter by referring to examples.

First, the method of positively adding the phosphonium compound to thereaction system is a method of feeding the phosphonium compound togetherwith an allyl compound, a nucleophilic agent, a catalyst, a reactionmedium and the like to a reactor, and the phosphonium compound may be anew phosphonium compound or a phosphonium compound recycled from thereaction process. In connection with this, it should be noted that sincea commercially available phosphonium compound is generally charged with+1 valent charge per one phosphorus atom, it is in a form of salt withits corresponding counter anion, but the counter anion corresponding tophosphonium is preferably a nucleophilic agent reactive with an allylstarting material compound in the reaction system. If the counter anionis not a nucleophilic agent but a phosphonium compound in a form of saltwith other counter anion is added, it is desired that the other counteranion does not poison a catalyst and is decomposed by reacting with anallyl compound in the reaction system so that a nucleophilic agentbecomes newly a counter anion. Generally known examples of a counteranion of a commercially available phosphonium compound include a halogenatom ion such as chloride, bromide or iodide, and hexafluorophosphate,hexachlorophosphate, hydrogen sulfate, tetrachloroborate,trifluoromethanesulfonate, perchlorate or the like. Among theseexamples, it is generally considered that there is a high possibilitythat a halide ion poisons a transition metal catalyst. When using such ahalide phosphonium compound, it is preferable to previously remove ahalide ion by anion exchange reaction. In this case, it is morepreferable to make a nucleophilic agent using a new counter anion in theallylation reaction.

On the other hand, the method of preparing a phosphonium compound in thereaction system includes a method of adding a trivalent phosphoruscompound as a starting material for phosphonium. This method uses such areaction as described in the J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1992, 114, p6858, andthis reaction comprises nucleophilicly attacking a terminal allyl carbonof a π-allyl complex of transition metal by a trivalent phosphoruscompound to form a phosphonium compound having an allyl group newlybonded. Actually, when a production process of 1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene byreaction of 3,4-diacetoxy-1-butene as an allyl starting materialcompound and acetoxide as a nucleophilic agent in the presence oftriphenylphosphine in an amount of 200 equivalents to palladium andpalladium-bidentate coordinated phosphite catalyst is analyzed by³¹P-NMR spectrum, a signal of triphenylphosphine of −6 ppm rapidlydisappears at the initial stage of reaction and is converted to signalsof a plurality of phosphoniums observed at 17 to 25 ppm. Judging fromthe chemical shift values, these signals are considered to be due tophosphoniums, and the reason why a plurality of kinds are observed, isdue to the formation of isomers such as [PPh₃(CH₂CH═CHCH₂OAc)]⁺[OAc]⁻,[PPh₃CH(CH₂OAc)(CH═CH₂)]⁺[OAc]⁻, [PPh₃(CH₂CH═CHCH₂)PPh₃]²⁺2[OAc]⁻,[PPh₃CH(CH₂PPh₃)(CH═CH₂)]²⁺2[OAc]⁻, or the like. When carrying out sucha process, it should be noted that a ligand coordinated to a transitionmetal compound is eliminated and a catalyst activity is lowered when acoordination power of a trivalent phosphorus compound added as astarting material for phosphonium to a transition metal compound is toohigh. In such a case, it is necessary to previously convert into aphosphonium compound at the outside of the system before feeding or towait for slowly converting into a phosphonium compound during carryingout the process.

In view of economic conditions, it is advantageous to use the abovephosphonium compound in a small amount. Thus, the phosphonium compoundis used to a metal compound as an allylation catalyst (fully describedabove) at a mol ratio of usually at least 0.1, preferably at least 1,more preferably at least 5, further preferably at least 10, mostpreferably at least 15, and usually at most 10,000, preferably at most5,000, more preferably at most 1,000, most preferably at most 500.

Ammonium Compound

An ammonium compound usable in the present invention basically has astructure having four substituents bonded to nitrogen. Usually, theusable ammonium compound is not specially limited so long as it isstable under the reaction conditions and soluble in the reaction systemand does not poison a catalyst (examples of a compound poisoning thecatalyst include a compound containing a conjugated diene, a compoundoxidizing and decomposing a phosphite compound such as a compoundcontaining peroxide, and the like). In view of its solubility in thereaction system, the ammonium compound has a molecular weight usually atmost 3,000, preferably at most 2,000, more preferably at most 1,000, andusually at least 20, preferably at least 40, more preferably at least60.

Among them, an ammonium compound having a structure expressed by thefollowing formula (2) is preferable.NX¹X²X³X⁴  (2)

In the above formula (2), X¹ to X⁴ are respectively independently ahydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, achain-like or cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group (in the presentspecification, “aryl group” includes a heterocyclic compound forming anaromatic 6π electron cloud at the upper and lower parts of the ring), analkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group or an arylthio group.The above illustrated groups may further have a substituent. Thesubstituent is not specially limited so long as it does not adverselyaffect the reaction system, and preferable examples of the substituentinclude a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a chain-likeor cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group,an alkylthio group or an arylthio group. When the above illustratedunsubstituted or substituted groups contain a carbon chain, the carbonchain may have at least one carbon-carbon double bond or triple bond.

The carbon number of X¹ to X⁴ are respectively independently usually atmost 40, preferably at most 30, more preferably at most 20. At least twooptional groups of X¹ to X⁴ may be bonded to each other to form at leastone cyclic structure. The number of cycles is not specially limited, butis usually 0 to 3, preferably 0 to 2, more preferably 0 or 1. When atleast two groups of X¹ to X⁴ are bonded to form a cyclic structure, itscarbon number is usually at most 40×p, preferably at most 30×p, morepreferably at most 20×p, wherein p is the number of groups participatingin the formation of a cyclic structure. Also, the number of atomsforming each ring is not specially limited, but is usually 3 to10-membered ring, preferably 4 to 9-membered ring, more preferably from5 to 7-membered ring. When a plurality of rings are present, these ringsmay be partly jointly owned to form a condensed ring structure.

Among the above illustrated groups, preferable examples of X¹ to X⁴ arerespectively independently a hydrogen atom, a substituted orunsubstituted chain-like or cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxygroup, an arylalkoxy group, an aryloxy group or an alkylaryloxy group,and more preferable examples include a substituted or unsubstitutedchain-like or cyclic alkyl group or an aryl group (in this case also, atleast two optional groups of the alkyl group or the aryl group of X¹ toX⁴ may be bonded to form at least one cyclic structure).

Further, the ammonium compound expressed by the above formula (2)include a compound having an N═C double bond such as N-substitutedpyridine, N-substituted oxazolium, N-substituted thiazolium, and thelike. Still further, the above ammonium compound includes mono- orpolyammonium compounds derived from polyamines such as bidentate chelatetype diamines having an amino group as a substituent.

Examples of the ammonium compound usable in the present inventioninclude trimethoxyammonium, methoxydimethyl ammonium,chlorohydroxydicyclohexyl ammonium, bromotriethyl ammonium,dimethylthiodiphenyl ammonium, tri(t-butyl)cyclohexyl ammonium,ethoxytris(4-methoxyphenyl)ammonium, methyltri(phenoxy)ammonium,dimethoxyacetyl ammonium, tri(ethylthio)isopropyl ammonium,diethoxyethylphenylthio ammonium, tetra(n-butyl) ammonium, triethylhydroammonium, trimethyl-1-propynyl ammonium, N-t-butyl-5-methyloxazolium,4-methoxypyridinium, N-phenylthiazolium, Et₂HN—CH₂—CH₂—NEt₂,Me₂HN—CH₂—CH₂—CH₂—NHMe₂, Me₂HN—CH₂—CH₂—NHMe₂, and the like. In thepresent specification, Me represents a methyl group and Et represents anethyl group.

However, generally, compounds easily available and suitably usable inthe present invention include the following two types of compounds.

(i) Compounds wherein one of X¹ to X⁴ is a hydrogen atom, and the otherthree groups are respectively independently a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl or aryl group (at least two optional groups of thesealkyl or aryl groups may be bonded to each other to form at least onecyclic structure).

(ii) Compounds wherein all of X¹ to X⁴ are respectively independently asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl group (at least two optionalgroups of these alkyl or aryl groups may be bonded to each other to format least one cyclic structure).

Examples of the above type (i) compound include triethyl ammonium,triisopropyl ammonium, tri-n-dodecyl ammonium, diethylisopropylammonium, ethyl-n-propyl-t-butyl ammonium, 3-chloro-1-propyldiphenylammonium, triallyl ammonium, geranylbis(4-methoxyphenyl)ammonium,tris(2,4-dimethylphenyl)ammonium,3-fluorophenyl-2-methylphenyl-2-naphthyl ammonium, tri(2-naphthyl)ammonium, pyridinium, 4-t-butyl ammonium, 4-propynyl -cyanopyridinium,and compounds expressed by the following formulae (N-1) to (N-6).

Examples of the above type (ii) compounds include tetramethyl ammonium,tetrabenzyl ammonium, tetraundecenyl ammonium, trimethylethyl ammonium,triallyl-3-pentynyl ammonium, triethylallyl ammonium,diphenylmethylethyl ammonium, trimethyl-2-butenyl ammonium,bis(4-methoxy-1-butyl)diethyl ammonium, di(1-naphthyl)diisopropylammonium, t-butylethylisopropyl-4-fluorophenyl ammonium,tris(4-ethylphenyl)-4-acetoxy-2-butenyl ammonium, and compoundsexpressed by the following formulae (N-7) to (N-12).

Among the above-mentioned type (i) and type (ii) compounds, an ammoniumcompound wherein X¹ to X⁴ other than hydrogen are a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl or aryl group is preferable. Examples of such type(i) ammonium compounds include tri-n-octyl ammonium,tris(6-t-butyl-2-naphthyl)ammonium, di-n-propylethylmethyl ammonium,n-propyl-n-butyl-n-pentyl ammonium,2-chloroethyl-3-methoxypropyl-4-trimethylsilylbutyl ammonium, and thelike, and examples of such type (ii) ammonium compounds includetetra-n-nonyl ammonium, tetraphenyl ammonium, diethyldiisopropylammonium, triethylbenzyl ammonium, methylethyl-n-propyl-n-butylammonium, methyl-t-butyldi(1-naphthyl)ammonium,5-bromopentyldiethylmethyl ammonium, tris(2,5-dimethylphenyl)-n-octylammonium, and the like.

Among the above type (i) and type (ii) ammonium compounds, type (i)ammonium compounds are more preferable from an economical viewpointsince the type (i) ammonium compounds can be easily prepared byacid-base reaction of an acidic material such as acetic acid or phenoland original tertiary amine excluding coordinate-bonded proton.Particularly, type (i) ammonium compounds wherein all of three alkylgroups other than proton are the same are preferable since theirproduction cost is cheap. Examples of such an ammonium compound includean ammonium compound wherein proton is coordinate-bonded to atrialkylamine having the same alkyl groups, such as triethyl ammonium,tri-n-propyl ammonium, triisopropyl ammonium, tri-n-butyl ammonium,tri-sec-butyl ammonium, tri-n-pentyl ammonium, tri-n-neopentyl ammonium,tri-i-octyl ammonium, tri-n-octyl ammonium, tridecanyl ammonium, and thelike. Further, an ammonium compound wherein proton is coordinate-bondedto 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undecene-7 (DBU) is preferable.

The above-mentioned ammonium compounds achieve an effect of improving areactivity when they are present in the reaction system of carrying outallylation reaction. In this case, any one kind of ammonium compound maybe present alone, or a plurality of kinds of ammonium compounds may bemixed in optional combination.

A method for introducing an ammonium compound into the reaction systemis not specially limited, but its examples include a method ofpositively adding the ammonium compound to the reaction system or amethod of preparing the ammonium compound in the reaction system. Thesemethods are further explained by giving concrete examples hereinafter.

First, the method of positively adding the ammonium compound to thereaction system is a method of feeding the ammonium compound togetherwith an allyl compound, a nucleophilic agent, a catalyst, a reactionmedium and the like into a reactor, and the ammonium compound may be anew ammonium compound or may be an ammonium compound recycled from thereaction process. In this regard, it should be noted that since acommercially available ammonium compound generally has +1 valent chargeper one nitrogen, it takes a form of salt with its corresponding counteranion, but it is preferable that this counter anion corresponding toammonium is a nucleophilic agent to be reacted with an allyl startingmaterial compound in the reaction system. If the counter anion is not anucleophilic agent and an ammonium compound in a form of a salt withother counter anion is added, it is desired that the other counter aniondoes not poison a catalyst and is decomposed by reaction with an allylcompound in the reaction system, and a nucleophilic agent newly becomesa counter anion. Generally known examples of a counter anion of acommercially available ammonium compound include a halide ion such aschloride, bromide or iodide, and hexafluorophosphate,hexachlorophosphate, hydrogen sulfate, tetrachloroborate,trifluoromethane sulfonate, perchlorate and the like. Among them, it isgenerally considered that there is a high possibility that the halideion poisons a transition metal catalyst. When such a halogenatedammonium compound is used in the reaction, it is preferable topreviously remove it by anionic change reaction or the like. In thiscase, it is more desirable that a new counter anion is used as anucleophilic agent to be used for allylation reaction.

On the other hand, examples of the method of preparing an ammoniumcompound in the reaction system include a method of adding an amine orpyridine compound as a starting material for ammonium. In this method,these compounds showing a basic property causes acid-base reaction witha proton acidic site of a nucleophilic agent in a reactor, and as thisresult, an ammonium or pyridinium compound having a structure havingproton coordinate-bonded to a non-covalent electron pair on nitrogen.When carrying out such a process, it should be noted that when anucleophilic agent has a proton acidic site, this method can besatisfactorily carried out and achieves a substantial effectparticularly in the reaction of an oxygen nucleophilic agent such asphenol or carboxylic acids and a carbon nucleophilic agent such asmalonic acid ester derivatives, but when a nucleophilic agent is anitrogen nucleophilic agent such as amines, a substantial effect can notbe achieved since amines are originally basic. Further, it should benoted that when an amine compound added as a starting material forammonium has an excessively high coordinative power to a transitionmetal compound, a ligand originally coordinated to a transition metalcompound is eliminated and a catalyst activity is lowered. In such acase, it is necessary to previously convert an amine compound into anammonium compound at the outside of the system before feeding or to waitthat an amine compound is gradually converted into an ammonium compoundduring carrying out the process.

It is advantageous from an economical viewpoint that the above ammoniumcompound is used in a smaller amount. Thus, the ammonium compound isused in a mol ratio of usually at least 0.1, preferably at least 1, morepreferably at least 5, further preferably at least 10, most preferablyat least 15, and usually at most 10,000, preferably at most 5,000, morepreferably at most 1,000, most preferably at most 500, to a metalcompound as an allylation reaction catalyst as fully illustrated above.

Also, many separating operations used in a conventional liquid catalystrecycling process can be employed for separating a catalyst and an allylcompound obtained in the reaction. Examples of the separating operationsinclude distillation operations such as simple distillation, vacuumdistillation, thin film distillation, water vapor distillation or thelike, and other separating operations such as gas-liquid separation,evaporation, gas stripping, gas absorption and extraction. Theseparating operation of each component may be carried out respectivelyin an independent step, or separation of two or more components may becarried out at the same time in a single step. When a part of an allylstarting material compound or an unreacted nucleophilic agent remains,they may be recovered by a separating method in the same manner as aboveand may be recycled into a reactor, which provides an economicaladvantage. Further, it is economically desirable to recycle theseparated catalyst into the reactor as it is or to recover the separatedcatalyst to be reactivated for reuse.

In the production method of the above allyl compound, when using3,4-disubstituted 1-butene of the above formula (b) or 1,4-disubstituted2-butene of the above formula (c) as an allyl starting material compoundand a difunctional oxygen nucleophilic agent as an oxygen nucleophilicagent, there is produced a novel condensation copolymer containing abutenediyl unit expressed by the following A and A′ derived from thebutene and a dioxy unit expressed by the following B, B′ and/or B″derived from the difunctional oxygen nucleophilic agent.

(In the above formulae, R^(f), R^(g) and R^(h) are respectivelyindependently a bivalent organic group which may have a substituent.)

In the copolymer, a mol ratio of the butenediyl unit expressed by A andthe butenediyl unit expressed by A′ is not specially limited, but thereis a tendency that the amount of A becomes larger, and A:A′ is usuallyat least 1:10, preferably at least 1:2, more preferably at least 1:1,and usually at most 10:1, preferably at most 5:1, more preferably atmost 3:1.

In the copolymer, the butenediyl unit expressed by A and A′ and thedioxy unit expressed by B, B′ and/or B″ are alternatively bonded.

A and A′ are randomly selected in the butenediyl unit, and at least oneA′ is contained. A number of the butenediyl unit in the copolymer is atleast 2. Also, the dioxy unit may have a structure having only one kindof B, B′ and B″, or may be a random mixture of at least two kinds of B,B′ and B″. Further, with regard to the terminal structure of thecondensation copolymer, it is an acetoxy group or a hydroxyl group whenthe terminal unit of the condensation copolymer is the butenediyl unitexpressed by A or A′, and it is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal ion, aphosphonium compound or an ammonium compound when the terminal unit ofthe condensation copolymer is the dioxy unit expressed by B, B′ or B″.

The condensation copolymer has a molecular weight of usually at least200, preferably at least 300, more preferably at least 500, and usuallyat most 1,000,000, preferably at most 100,000, more preferably at least10,000, most preferably at most 5,000.

According to the synthesis method of the present invention, thecondensation copolymer is obtained by reacting 3,4-disubstituted1-butene of the formula (b) or 1,4-disubstituted 2-butene of the formula(c) with a difunctional oxygen nucleophilic agent in the presence of thecatalyst of the present invention. Preferable examples of the3,4-disubstituted 1-butene of the formula (b) include3,4-diacetoxy-1-butene, 3-acetoxy-4-hydroxy-1-butene,4-acetoxy-3-hydroxy-1-butene, 3,4-dihydroxy-1-butene, and the like.Preferable examples of the 1,4-disubstituted 2-butene of the formula (c)include 1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene, 1-acetoxy-4-hydroxy-2-butene,1,4-dihydroxy-2-butene, and the like. These compounds may be used aloneor may be used in a mixture of two or more kinds.

The difunctional oxygen nucleophilic agent may be classified mainly intothree groups depending on a kind of a dioxy unit in the condensationcopolymer. For example, the difunctional oxygen nucleophilic agentcorresponding to the dioxy unit B is diols, the difunctional oxygennucleophilic agent corresponding to the dioxy unit B′ ishydroxycarboxylic acids, and the difunctional oxygen nucleophilic agentcorresponding to the dioxy unit B″ is dicarboxylic acids. Examples ofthe diols include alkane diols such as ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butane diol, 1,6-hexane diol, 2,4-dihydroxypentane,2,2-diethyl-1,3-propane diol, and the like, alkene diols such as1,4-dihydroxy-2-butene, 1,9-dihydroxy-3,6-nonadiene, and the like,alkyne diols such as 1,4-dihydroxy-2-butyne, 1,5-dihydroxy-3-heptyne,and the like, cycloalkane diols such as cyclohexane-1,4-diol,cyclopentane-1,3-diol, and the like, diphenol derivatives such ashydroquinone, 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalene, 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene,4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl, 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, and the like,and further, 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)phenol, 1,4-dihydroxymethylbenzene, andthe like. Also, examples of the hydroxycarboxylic acids include3-hydroxy propionic acid, 4-hydroxy benzoic acid, 3-hydroxymethylbenzoic acid, 4-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid, and the like. Also, examplesof the dicarboxylic acids include aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such asoxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid orthe like, and aromatic dicarboxylic acids such as phthalic acid,isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, naphthalene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid,naphthalene-1,8-dicarboxylic acid, naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid,naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid or the like. With regard to the abovedifunctional oxygen nucleophilic agent, a specific compound may be usedalone, or a mixture of two or more kinds may be used.

The production method of the condensation copolymer can be carried outby using the reaction between an allyl starting material compound and anoxygen nucleophilic agent in accordance with the present invention.However, when water or acetic acid by-produced depending on a reactionretains in the reaction system, the molecular weight of the condensationcopolymer thus produced does not become large, and it is thereforepreferable to proceed the reaction by removing acetic acid or water fromthe reaction system when it is desired to obtain the condensationcopolymer having a larger molecular weight. Acetic acid or water can beremoved from the reaction system by distillation under normal pressureor reduced pressure or by adding such a compound like calcium oxide asto form an insoluble salt by reacting with acetic acid or water.

Also, a method for removing a catalyst from the condensation copolymerthus obtained can be effectively carried out by distillation when thecondensation copolymer product has a low molecular weight and can bedistilled, but the catalyst is usually removed by a fractionalprecipitation method which comprises adding a poor solvent to thecondensation copolymer to precipitate the condensation copolymer andseparating a supernatant phase containing the catalyst. In such a case,the catalyst contained in the supernatant phase, the condensationcopolymer having a low molecular weight and the starting material can berecycled into a reactor for reuse after removing the poor solvent fromthe supernatant phase by distillation, which is economically preferable.Also, when employing the fractional precipitation method, thecondensation copolymer thus produced contains a poor solvent, and it istherefore necessary to remove the poor solvent by distillation.

The condensation copolymer of the present invention is characterized byhaving a structure having a double bond in the main chain and a sidechain, and can work as a cross-linking agent by being added to othercondensation copolymer or polymer to have the double bond reacted or canbe used for producing a new polymer having a high function orperformance by introducing a new functional group into the double bondof the condensation copolymer.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, the present invention is further fully illustrated by thefollowing Examples, but should not be limited thereto.

Examples 1 to 2 and Comparative Examples 1 to 2

Allylphenyl ether synthesis reaction of the present invention wascarried out by using allylmethyl carbonate as an allyl starting materialcompound and phenol as an oxygen nucleophilic agent.

A catalyst solution having a palladium concentration of 15.05 mmol/l wasprepared by adding 0.0149 g (0.0151 mmol) of trisdibenzylideneacetonedipalladium having a palladium content of 21.5 wt % as a transitionmetal compound and the above (L-26) bidentate phosphite (Example 1) orthe above (L-8) bidentate phosphite (Example 2) respectively in anamount of 4 equivalents (0.1204 mmol) to palladium as a multidentatecoordinated phosphite compound to a container substituted with argon,adding 2.0 ml of tetrahydrofuran thereto and stirring the resultantmixture at room temperature. Thereafter, in order to carry out thereaction, another container was substituted with argon, and 5.0 ml of atetrahydrofuran solution containing 0.1720 g (1.481 mmol) of allylmethylcarbonate and 0.2707 g (2.877 mmol) of phenol was added into thecontainer under argon atmosphere. 20.0 μl of the above prepared catalystsolution was added thereto by a microsyringe, and the resultant mixturewas heated at 60° C. to carry out the reaction. After reacting for 30minutes, the resultant solution composition was analyzed by gaschromatography to determine a yield of allylphenyl ether.

As Comparative Examples, the same procedure was repeated by usingconventionally used 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (dppb) as abidentate phosphine ligand (Comparative Example 1) andtriphenylphosphite ligand as a monodentate coordinated phosphite ligand(Comparative Example 2). However, in the case of using the triphenylphosphite which is a monodentate ligand, it was added in an amount of 8equivalents to palladium.

The results are shown in the following Table 1.

TABLE 1 Allylphenyl Ligand ether yield Ex. 1 (L-26) 89% Ex. 2 (L-8) 10%Comp. Ex. 1 Dppb  4% Comp. Ex. 2 P(OPh)₃  3%

Examples 3 to 5 and Comparative Examples 3 to 5

Allyloctyl ether synthesis reaction of the present invention was carriedout by using allyl acetate as an allyl starting material compound and1-octanol as an oxygen nucleophilic agent.

The reaction was carried out by adding 0.0048 g (0.0048 mmol) oftrisdibenzylideneacetone dipalladium having a palladium content of 21.5wt % as a transition metal compound and the above (L-26) bidentatephosphite compound (Example 3), the above (L-57) bidentate phosphitecompound (Example 4) or the above (L-11) bidentate phosphite compound(Example 5) respectively in an amount of 2 equivalents (0.0194 mmol) topalladium as a multidentate coordinated phosphite compound to acontainer substituted with argon, adding 0.943 g (9.420 mmol) of allylacetate and 2.422 g (18.594 mmol) of 1-octanol under argon atmospherethereto, and heating the resultant mixture at 100° C. to carry out thereaction. After reacting for 60 minutes, the resultant solutioncomposition was analyzed by gas chromatography to determine a yield ofallyloctyl ether.

Also, as Comparative Examples, the same reaction procedure was repeatedby using conventionally used 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (dppb) asa bidentate phosphine ligand (Comparative Example 3), triphenylphosphine as a monodentate phosphine ligand (Comparative Example 4), andtriphenyl phosphite ligand as a monodentate coordinated phosphite ligand(Comparative Example 5). However, in the case of using a monodentateligand, it was added in an amount of 4 equivalents to palladium.

The results are shown in the following Table 2.

TABLE 2 Allyloctyl Ligand ether yield Ex. 3 (L-26) 91% Ex. 4 (L-57) 92%Ex. 5 (L-11) 82% Comp. Ex. 3 Dppb  7% Comp. Ex. 4 PPh₃  7% Comp. Ex. 5P(OPh)₃  3%

Examples 6 to 7 and Comparative Examples 6 to 7

Allyl benzoate synthesis reaction of the present invention was carriedout by using allyl acetate as an allyl starting material compound andbenzoic acid as an oxygen nucleophilic agent.

A catalyst solution having a palladium concentration of 15.05 mmol/l wasprepared by adding 0.0149 g (0.0151 mmol) of trisdibenzylideneacetonedipalladium having a palladium content of 21.5 wt % as a transitionmetal compound and the above (L-54) bidentate phosphite compound(Example 6) or the above (L-12) bidentate phosphite compound (Example 7)respectively in an amount of 4 equivalents (0.1204 mmol) to palladium asa multidentate coordinated phosphite compound to a container substitutedwith argon, adding 2.0 ml of tetrahydrofuran thereto, and stirring theresultant mixture at room temperature. Thereafter, in order to carry outthe reaction, another container was substituted with argon, and 4.0 mlof a tetrahydrofuran solution containing 0.3083 g (2.525 mmol) ofbenzoic acid and 0.1208 g (1.206 mmol) of allyl acetate was addedthereto under argon atmosphere. 60.0 μl of the above prepared catalystsolution was added thereto by a microsyringe, and the resultant mixturewas heated at 60° C. to carry out the reaction. After reacting for 30minutes, the resultant solution composition was analyzed by gaschromatography to determine a yield of allyl benzoate.

Also, as Comparative Examples, the same reaction procedure was repeatedby using conventionally used 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (dppb) asa bidentate phosphine ligand (Comparative Example 6) and triphenylphosphite ligand as a monodentate coordinated phosphite ligand(Comparative Example 8). However, in the case of using the monodentateligand, it was added in an amount of 8 equivalents to palladium.

The results are shown in the following Table 3.

TABLE 3 Allyl benzoate Ligand yield Ex. 6 (L-54) 42% Ex. 7 (L-12) 38%Comp. Ex. 6 Dppb  1% Comp. Ex. 7 P(OPh)₃ 21%

Example 8

Butylbutenyl ethers synthesis reaction of the present invention wascarried out by using cis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene as an allyl startingmaterial compound and 1-butanol as an oxygen nucleophilic agent.

The reaction was carried out by adding 0.0020 g (0.0040 mmol) oftrisdibenzylideneacetone dipalladium having a palladium content of 21.5wt % and 0.0173 g (0.0162 mmol) of the above (L-26) bidentate phosphitein an amount of 4 equivalents to a container substituted with nitrogen,adding 1.418 g (8.233 mmol) of cis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene and 2.327 g(31.395 mmol) of 1-butanol thereto under nitrogen atmosphere, andheating the resultant mixture at 100° C. After reacting 5 hours, theresultant solution composition was analyzed by gas chromatography, andit was found that cis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene was converted at aconversion rate of 97.5%, and 71.8% of dibutoxybutene and 25.7% ofacetoxybutoxybutene were produced.

Particularly, among the 71.8% dibutoxybutene thus produced, 56.0% of1,4-dibutoxy-2-butene (mixture of cis and trans) and 15.8% of3,4-dibutoxy-1-butene were formed, and among the 25.7%acetoxybutoxybutene thus produced, 12.6% of 1-acetoxy-4-butoxy-2-butene(mixture of cis and trans), 4.9% of 3-acetoxy-4-butoxy-1-butene and 8.2%of 4-acetoxy-3-butoxy-1-butene were formed.

Example 9

Phenylbutenyl ethers synthesis reaction of the present invention wascarried out by using cis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene as an allyl startingmaterial compound and phenol as an oxygen nucleophilic agent.

The reaction was carried out by adding 0.0020 g (0.0044 mmol) oftrisdibenzylideneacetone dipalladium is having a palladium content of21.5 wt % and 0.0187 g (0.0175 mmol) of the above (L-26) bidentatephosphite in an amount of 4 equivalents to a container substituted withnitrogen, adding 1.460 g (8.477 mmol) of cis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene and3.164 g (33.615 mmol) of phenol thereto under nitrogen atmosphere, andheating the resultant mixture at 100° C.

After reacting 60 minutes, the resultant solution composition wasanalyzed by gas chromatography, and it was found thatcis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene was converted at a conversion rate of 75.2%,and 14.9% of dephenoxy and 59.8% of acetoxyphenoxybutene were produced.

Particularly, among the 14.9% diphenoxybutene thus produced, 13.9% of1,4-diphenoxy-2-butene (mixture of cis and trans) and 1.0% of3,4-diphenoxy-1-butene were formed, and among the 59.8%acetoxyphenoxybutene thus produced, 37.8% of1-acetoxy-4-phenoxy-2-butene (mixture of cis and trans), 11.1% of3-acetoxy-4-phenoxy-1-butene and 10.9% of 4-acetoxy-3-phenoxy-1-butenewere formed.

Example 10

The present invention was applied to synthesis reaction of anunsaturated bond-containing polyester oligomer by usingcis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene as an allyl starting material compound andadipic acid (difunctional carboxylic acid) as an oxygen nucleophilicagent.

The reaction was carried out by adding 0.0074 g (0.0162 mmol) oftrisdibenzylideneacetone dipalladium having a palladium content of 21.5wt % and 0.0693 g (0.0647 mmol) of the above (L-26) bidentate phosphitein an amount of 4 equivalents to a two-forked round bottom flasksubstituted with nitrogen, adding 10.005 g (58.107 mmol) ofcis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene and 7.104 g (48.610 mmol) of adipic acidthereto under nitrogen atmosphere, and heating the resultant mixture at100° C. under a reduced pressure of 50 mmHg. As the reaction proceeds,the pressure in the system was gradually lowered to 20 mmHg (after 1hour) and to 7 mmHg (after three hours), and acetic acid formed wasremoved from the system under the reduced pressure by distillation.After reacting for 7 hours, the resultant solution composition wasanalyzed by gas chromatography, and it was found thatcis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene was converted at a conversion rate of almost100% to obtain a syrup-like oligomer. The oligomer thus obtained wasanalyzed by gel permeation chromatography to determine a molecularweight distribution, and it was found that the oligomer was a polyesteroligomer having a molecular weight of 4,000 at the main central portionand a maximum molecular weight of 10,000 in terms of polystyrenemolecular weight.

Example 11

The present invention was applied to synthesis reaction of anunsaturated bond-containing polyether oligomer by usingcis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene as an allyl starting material compound and1,4-butane diol (difunctional alcohol) as an oxygen nucleophilic agent.

The reaction was carried out by adding 0.0572 g (0.1249 mmol) oftrisdibenzylideneacetone dipalladium having a palladium content of 21.5wt % and 0.2670 g (0.2492 mmol) of the above (L-26) bidentate phosphitein an amount of 2 equivalents to a two-forked round bottom flasksubstituted with nitrogen, adding 17.221 g (100.016 mmol) ofcis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene and 9.012 g (100.000 mmol) of 1,4-butane diolthereto under nitrogen atmosphere, and heating the resultant mixture at100° C. while gradually reducing a pressure from 50 mmHg in the samemanner as in Example 10. After reacting for 7 hours, the resultantsolution composition was analyzed by gas chromatography, and it wasfound that cis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene was converted at a conversion rateof almost 100% to obtain a syrup-like oligomer. The oligomer thusobtained was analyzed by gel permeation chromatography to determine amolecular weight distribution, and it was found that the oligomer was apolyether oligomer having a molecular weight of 2,400 at the maincentral portion and a maximum molecular weight of 7,000 in terms ofpolystyrene molecular weight.

Example 12

The present invention was applied to synthesis reaction of anunsaturated bond-containing polyether oligomer by usingcis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene as an allyl starting material compound and2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (difunctional phenol: bisphenol A) as anoxygen nucleophilic agent.

The reaction was carried out by adding 0.0091 g (0.0199 mmol) oftrisdibenzylideneacetone dipalladium having a palladium content of 21.5wt % and 0.0852 g (0.0795 mmol) of the above (L-26) bidentate phosphitein an amount of 4 equivalents to a two-forked round bottom flasksubstituted with nitrogen, adding 10.008 g (58.126 mmol) ofcis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene and 11.001 g (48.189 mmol) of bisphenol Athereto under nitrogen atmosphere, and heating the resultant mixture at100° C. while gradually reducing a pressure from 50 mmHg in the samemanner as in Example 10. After reacting for 7 hours, the resultantsolution composition was analyzed by gas chromatography, and it wasfound that cis-1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene was converted at a conversion rateof almost 100% to obtain a thick syrup-like oligomer. The oligomer thusobtained was analyzed by gel permeation chromatography to determine amolecular weight distribution, and it was found that the oligomer was apolyether oligomer having a molecular weight of 3,200 at the maincentral portion and a maximum molecular weight of 7,000 in terms ofpolystyrene molecular weight.

As evident from the above results, a catalyst comprising the bidentatephosphite type ligand of the present invention provides a highercatalytic activity as compared with that of a catalyst comprisingconventionally used bidentate phosphine type ligand or a triaryl typemonodentate phosphite ligand.

(Examples using a phosphonium compound in the reaction system areillustrated below.)

Example 13 and Example 14

The present invention was applied to a reaction for producingallylphenyl ether by carrying out allylation reaction by usingallylmethyl carbonate as an allyl starting material compound andphenoxide as a nucleophilic agent in the presence of a catalyst ofpalladium-bidentate phosphite (L-26).

A catalyst solution having a palladium concentration of 15.05 mmol/l wasprepared by adding 0.0149 g (0.0151 mmol) of trisdibenzylideneacetonedipalladium having a palladium content of 21.5 wt % as a transitionmetal compound and 0.1291 g (0.1205 mmol) of the above (L-26) compoundas a bidentate phosphite compound to a container substituted with argon,adding 2.0 ml of tetrahydrofuran thereto, and stirring the resultantmixture at room temperature. Thereafter, in order to carry out thereaction, another container was substituted with argon, and 4.45 g of atetrahydrofuran solution containing 3.85 wt % of allylmethyl carbonateand 6.06 wt % of phenol was added into the container. 5 μl of the aboveprepared catalyst solution was added thereto by a microsyringe, and theresultant mixture was heated at 60° C. to carry out the reaction(Example 13: reaction in the absence of a phosphonium compound).Evaluation of the reaction rate was carried out by analyzing thesolution composition by gas chromatography before and after the reactionto determine a conversion rate of allylmethyl carbonate, and applyingthe value thus determined to the following calculation formula tocalculate a reaction rate constant. In this case, the reaction isconsidered to be a pseudo-primary reaction by ignoring an influence by aconcentration change of phenol to calculate a reaction rate: k inaccordance with the following calculation formula. In the followingcalculation formula, conv. represents a conversion rate of allylmethylcarbonate and t represents its reaction time (unit: hour).k=−1n(1−conv.)/t

Also, a reaction was carried out in a system of further containingtetra(n-butyl)phosphonium acetate salt respectively in an amount of 200equivalents to Pd, under the same conditions as in the above Example 13(Example 14: the reaction system in the presence of a phosphoniumcompound). The results are shown in the following Table 4.

TABLE 4 Phosphonium Reaction rate Specific compound constant (h⁻¹)activity Ex. 13 — 0.59 1.00 Ex. 14 [P(n-Bu₄]⁺[OAc]⁻ 1.81 3.07

As evident from the above results, it is proved that the presence of aphosphonium compound in the reaction system can improve the reactionactivity.

(The following Examples illustrate the presence of an ammonium compoundin the reaction system.)

Example 15 and Example 16

The present invention was applied to a reaction for producingallylphenyl ether by carrying out allylation reaction by usingallylmethyl carbonate as an allyl starting material compound andphenoxide as a nucleophilic agent in the presence of a catalyst ofpalladium-bidentate phosphite (L-26).

A catalyst solution having a palladium concentration of 15.05 mmol/l wasprepared by adding 0.0149 g (0.0151 mmol) of trisdibenzylideneacetonedipalladium having a palladium content of 21.5 wt % as a transitionmetal compound and 0.1291 g (0.1205 mmol) of the above (L-26) compoundas a bidentate phosphite compound to a container substituted with argon,adding 2.0 ml of tetrahydrofuran thereto, and stirring the resultantmixture at room temperature. Thereafter, in order to carry out thereaction, another container was substituted with argon, and 4.45 g of atetrahydrofuran solution containing 3.85 wt % of allylmethyl carbonateand 6.06 wt % of phenol was added into the container. 5 μl of the aboveprepared catalyst solution was added thereto by a microsyringe, and theresultant mixture was heated at 60° C. to carry out the reaction(Example 15: reaction in the absence of a counter cation). Evaluation ofthe reaction rate was carried out in the same manner as in Examples 13and 14.

Also, a reaction was carried out in a system of further adding DBU toprepare an ammonium compound respectively in an amount of 200equivalents to Pd, under the same conditions as in the above Example 15(Example 16: the reaction system in the presence of an ammoniumcompound). The results are shown in the following Table 5.

TABLE 5 Reaction rate Specific Ammonium compound constant (h⁻¹) activityEx. 15 — 0.59 1.00 Ex. 16 [DBU-H]⁺[OAc]⁻ 1.51 2.56

As evident from the above results, it is proved that the presence of anammonium compound in the reaction system can improve the reactionactivity.

According to the method for producing an allyl compound by the presentinvention, various allyl compounds can be efficiently produced ascompared with a method of using a conventional catalyst system since anew catalyst system achieving a sufficiently higher catalytic activityto an oxygen nucleophilic agent having a low reactivity is used in theproduction of a new allyl compound by reacting an allyl startingmaterial compound and a nucleophilic agent.

The entire disclosures of Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-252900filed on Aug. 30, 2002, Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-260452filed on Sep. 5, 2002 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-261870filed on Sep. 6, 2002 including specifications, claims and summaries areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

1. A method for producing an allyl compound comprising: reacting a firstallyl compound of formula (a) with an oxygen nucleophilic agent in thepresence of a catalyst containing a multidentate phosphite compound andat least one transition metal compound containing a transition metalselected from the group consisting of transition metals belonging toGroup 8 to Group 10 of the Periodic Table, under conditions suitable forproducing a second allyl compound, wherein the second allyl compound hasa compositional structure different than that of the first allylcompound, and wherein formula (a) is:

wherein R^(a) to R^(e) are independently a hydrogen atom, a halogenatom, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a formyl group, an alkyl group,an aryl group (including a heterocyclic compound forming an aromatic 6πelectron cloud on the upper and lower sides of the ring, hereinafter thesame), an acyloxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, anarylthio group, an amide group, an acyl group or an acyloxy group; amongthese groups, the amino group, the alkyl group, the aryl group, thealkoxy group, the aryloxy group, the alkylthio group, the arylthiogroup, the acyl group or the acyloxy group may have a substituent; andwhen any of R^(a) to R^(e) has a carbon chain, the carbon chain may haveat least one carbon-carbon double bond or triple bond; X is a halogenatom, a hydroxyl group, a nitro group, an amino group, a sulfonyl group,a sulfonate group, an acyloxy group, a carbonate group, a carbamategroup, a phosphate group, an atkoxy group or an aryloxy group; amongthese groups, the amino group, the sulfonyl group, the, sulfonate group,the acyloxy group, the carbonate group, the carbamate group, thephosphate group, the alkoxy group and the aryloxy group may have asubstituent; when X has a carbon chain, the carbon chain may have atleast one carbon-carbon double bond or triple bond; and at least twooptional groups among R^(a) to R^(e) and X may bond to each other toform at least one cyclic structure; wherein the oxygen nucleophilicagent is not the same as the X of the first allyl compound, X⁻, or theproton adduct of X.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first allylcompound has a molecular weight of 1,500 Da or less or contains at most100 carbon atoms.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein R^(a) to R^(e) areindependently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl,substituted alkyl, aryl, and substituted aryl.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein X is a halogen atom.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein X is ahydroxy group, an alkoxyl group or an aryloxy group.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein X is a nitro group or an amino group.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein X is a sulfonyl group or a sulfonate group.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, wherein X is an acyloxy group, a carbonate group, acarbamate group, or a phosphate group.
 9. The method of claim 1, whereinthe oxygen nucleophilic agent is an alcohol, a deprotonated alcohol, ahydroxyaryl, a deprotonated hydroxyaryl, an aromatic carboxylic acid, ora deprotonated aromatic carboxylic acid.
 10. The method of claim 1,wherein the reaction occurs in the presence of a catalyst which containsa bidentate to tetradentate phosphite compound.
 11. The method of claim1, wherein the multidentate phosphite compound is a bidentate phosphitecompound.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition metalcompound is at least one compound selected from the group consisting ofa ruthenium compound, a rhodium compound, an iridium compound, a nickelcompound, a palladium compound and a platinum compound.
 13. The methodof claim 1, wherein the multidentate phosphite compound is at least onebidentate phosphite compound selected from the group consisting ofcompounds expressed by the following structural formulae (I) to (IV),

wherein R¹⁰ to R¹⁷ are respectively independently an alkyl or aryl groupwhich may have a substituent, Z¹ to Z³ and A¹ to A³ are respectivelyindependently a bivalent organic group, and T is a tetravalent organicgroup.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein in the above formulae (II) to(IV), R² to R⁷ are respectively independently an aryl group which mayhave a substituent, and Z¹ to Z³ are respectively independently adiarylene group which may have a substituent.
 15. The method of claim13, wherein the transition metal compound is a palladium compound. 16.The method of claim 1, wherein the oxygen nucleophilic agent is acompound different from a substituent X and its proton adduct X—Heliminated from the allyl starting material compound by reaction, and isa compound containing a nucleophilic oxygen atom expressed by AO—H orits deprotonated form of AO—, in which A is a hydrogen atom or anorganic group having a carbon atom, a nitrogen atom, a phosphorus atomor a sulfur atom bonded to the oxygen atom.
 17. The method of claim 1,wherein a phosphonium compound is present during the reaction.
 18. Themethod of claim 1, wherein an ammonium compound is present during thereaction.